Police’s CCTV surveillance reaches India Gate

After bolstering security at Jantar Mantar by installing close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, the Delhi Police are now in the process of installing 40-odd cameras at India Gate.

After bolstering security at Jantar Mantar by installing close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, the Delhi Police are now in the process of installing 40-odd cameras at India Gate.

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The police cited security concerns as the reason behind this move. The project is expected to be completed by the first week of September.

Cameras will be installed at strategic locations around the memorial to capture details in case of protests or any untoward incident. The new cameras will have pan, tilt and zoom features.

“Our primary concern is security as even a small incident can have a huge impact due to the sensitivity of the location. We are now in the final stages of its completion. The project had been pending since long,” said a senior police officer.

“The command centre will be at the Tilak Marg police station where we will have a dedicated team to monitor CCTV footage round the clock. Cameras are always an additional weapon as crime detection becomes easy,” the officer added.

After India Gate, the police are also planning to install cameras at all important markets in the New Delhi district.

“In the current phase, we had targeted protests sites. Areas like Gole Market, Bengali Market and a few parts of Connaught Place will be covered in the next phase," officer added.

The Delhi Police have already installed cameras at Khan Market and Janpath. "These are the two most crowded markets of the city. The entire New Delhi district will be covered, including Lutyens' Delhi ," the officer added.
The police feel if protesters turn violent, the police will have CCTV footages to identify trouble-makers. This is why the police installed cameras at Jantar Mantar, which is the city's key protest site.

"At the time of protest, we generally hire an agency to get the footage and other details when a protest takes place. We have refurbished all CCTV cameras at Jantar Mantar and India Gate, which will be an additional benefit for us," the officer said.